*1* new

It’s almost the end of the first day of the new year and it feels right to pop back here after a period that was dedicated instead to family and relaxing and reading and knitting and food.

So what’s been happening… food aside, that is… I read two novels (more in the next few days), I made a cushion (ditto), I started running again… not today no, I didn’t want it to be a ‘resolution’ as such because we all know not many of those stick around for more than a few weeks, so I started before Christmas and whilst I am not making any promises not even to myself, it’s been good for my mind as much as for my body so we’ll see. I also knitted half a body of a sweater but don’t hold your breath as it’s done in very fine wool and very small needles. It might take a while.

The chocolate bowl is looking sad.

2019 is going to be a big one for us, and by big one I mean time will be the most precious commodity of all… I’m trying the ‘college full time’ thing… Mr M had a ginormous office move on top of his crazy busy company running thing… No 1 and No 2 and No 3 have super busy school years with big exams and choices to make. The first six months will be bonkers. I can feel the bonkerness approaching… I can see it at the horizons, looming… I can smell it!

I tried to convince them all that we needed some sort of family motto, or mantra to take us through the dark woods… but they either laughed, rolled their eyes or left the room. Some of them did all three. Nobody bought it.

…BUT… I don’t care, and I hereby declare that this year’s words to live by are:

no pressure, no diamonds

Good eh?

I’m counting on the second six months to be the diamonds. (We have booked flights for a most exciting destination in August… and if we can survive till then… it’ll be amazeballs)

Sigh.

We took the tree down today. VERY early for us, normally I make sure it stays up till the 6th, but I was in the perfect mood for it and out of the window it went. Literally.

Very satisfying.

Kept finding decoration everywhere I looked. Does that ever happen to you? You think it’s all done and then you look up and… doh…

I then wrote more of my next essay due next week and I think I’ve almost cracked it. I look forward to get stuck in tomorrow with a bit more time. Boys think it’s sad I like writing essays. Is it sad?

This was our dinner today: Chicken Cosima from the book ‘Simply Nigella’. Super easy to do and absolutely delicious; everybody ate it, once of course they got over the shock of finding chickpeas on their plates (can you see MY eyes rolling now?)… I know… chickpeas are terrifying things….